Draft attachment for railway cars



Nov. 4, 1941. G. 1-. JOHNSON ETAL 2,261,333

' DRAFT ATTACHMENT FOR RAILWAY CARS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 'Filed March is, 1938 Wnanild Nov. 4, 1941. Y G. T. JOHNSON ET'AL I DRAFT ATTACHMENT FOR RAI LWAY CARS Filed March 18, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT orries,

Que 1.38s. DRAFT ATTACHMENT FOR RAILWAY CABS George T. Johnson and Harry H. Wolfe, Coluinbus, Ohio, assignors to'TheBuckQYe Steel'Castings Company, Columbus, Obie L Application March 18, 1938, sem No. 196,775

13 Claims. (of. 213 57) This invention relates to improvements in draft attachments for railway cars and the like, and more particularly to draft attachments of the type employing horizontal yokes.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a draft attachment structure of this type which will effect a considerable saving in weight over the conventional riveted constructions, either in grade B steel or high tensile steel.

A further object is to supply a draft attachment of the horizontal yoke type which elimi nates plates heretofore employed, and thereby not only reduces weight, but economizes onthetime and cost of welding.

Another object'is to furnish a draft attachment of the above type, includinga bolstercenter filler.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

rear ends of the ribs 35 and 38,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view partly in horizontal transverse section of one embodiment of the invention, the section being taken on the line l-l of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the struc- A ture shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view of the bolster center filler taken'on the line 33 of Fig. 4.

Fig. A is a front elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 3, partly in transverse vertical section, the section being taken on the line 44 of Fig. 5. 5 r 1 Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the bolster center filler.

Before proceeding with a detail description of the invention, it may be stated that although our casting is welded to the draft sills in a manner similar to that in the application of George T. Johnson, Serial No. 193,783, filed March 3, 1938, the design and function of the casting are considerably different, as will be noted from the following description. v

In accordance with the present invention, the

member 28 is preferably formed of a single casting and includes a vertically disposed transverse front wall 29 that cooperates with the butt of the yoke 24 and extendsoutwardly to the side walls 30 of the draft sills. The end edges of the front w 11 are welded to the side walls 30 as indicated InQaddition to the front wall, the backstop is provided with transverse vertical'ribs 32 "having side edges, some of which'are welded to'the side walls 30:of the sills, as indicatedat 33.

A'king pin sleeve 34 ,is vertically arranged at the central portion of the casting and merges into the middle'ones of the transverse ribs 32 A horizontal rib 35 is arranged at the top of each side portion of the back stop and it is welded to the center sills as indicated at 36. The ribs 35 merge into the upper end portions of the ribs 32, and the rear end of each irib 35 is connected to a medial horizontal plate 31, at the upper end of the king pin sleeve 34, 'by means of a rearwardly and upwardly extending rib 38, one arranged at each side of the casting.

A short vertical rib 39 extends transversely across the rear end of the casting and joins the a The back stop and center casting is'designed to take the buff on the wall 29which is backed up with a horizontal plate 4|] and vertical ribs-4|, as best shown in Figs. '7 to 9 inclusive. Ribs 42 at thetop and bottom of the ribs 4| reinforce the wall 29, and the rear ends of the ribs 4| merge into the horizontal plate 31. The latter is joined by vertical ribs 43, radiating vertically from the sleeve 34, to'the bottom horizontal plate 44 at the bottom of the casting. H

It will be observed that the ribs 32 extend from the top to the bottom of the sills and transmit the vertical load from the center plate 45 to the body bolster (not shown). A hole 46 in the front portion of the casting is of sufficient size to permit welding along the side edges of the horizontal plate 35, as indicated at 36 Horizontal rib 40 is welded to the webs of the sills 30 as shown at 4T.

While we have disclosed what we now consider to be preferred embodiments of the invention in such manner that the same may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, we are aware that changes may be made in the details disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention, as expressed in the claims.

"between the side walls of the sills and comprising a king bolt sleeve and a front vertical wall, a

horizontal plate joining the upper end of the sleeve to the medial portion of the rear of the front wall and having side edge portions terminating at the inner surfaces of the side walls of the sills and welded thereto, a bottom plate extending transversely across the casting and integral with the lower end of the sleeve, transverse vertical ribs merging into said plates, some of the transverse vertical ribs having their inner ends merging into opposite sides of the sleeve, the outer ends of the vertical ribs having edge portions terminating at the inner surfaces of the, side walls of the sills and welded thereto.

2. In a draft attachment for railway cars, draft sills, a horizontal yoke arranged between the sills and having a butt, a back stop casting arranged between the side walls of the sills and comprising a king bolt sleeve and a front vertical wall, a horizontal plate joining the upper end of the sleeve to the medial portion of the rear of the front wall and having side edge portions terminating at the inner surfaces of the side walls of the sills and welded thereto, a bottom plate extending transversely across the casting and integral with the lower end of the sleeve, transverse vertical ribs merging into said plates, some of the transverse vertical ribs having their inner ends merging into opposite sides of the sleeve, the outer ends of the vertical ribs having edge portions terminating at the inner surfaces of the side walls of the sills and welded thereto, and horizontal ribs arranged at the top of opposite sides of the casting, merging into the upper ends of the vertical wall and the vertical rib and welded to said sills.

3. In a draft attachment for railway cars, draft sills. a horizontal yoke arranged between the sills and having a butt, and a backstop having a vertical front wall and transverse vertical spaced thereto, said wall being arranged forwardly of said ribs and forming an abutment for the butt of the yoke, and rigid elements connecting said wall and ribs, the backstop being provided with a substantially horizontal plate which forms one of said elements and extends rearwardly from the medial portion of the front wall, said plate having side edges terminating at the inner surfaces of the center sills and being welded thereto.

7. In a draft attachment for railway cars, draft sills, a horizontal yoke arranged between the sills and having a butt, and a backstop having a vertical front wall and transverse vertical spaced ribs, the side edges of said ribs terminating at the inner surfaces of the sills and being welded 4. In a draft attachment for railway cars, draft sills, a horizontal yoke arranged between the sills and having a butt, and a backstop having a vertical front wall and transverse vertical spaced ribs, the sid edges of said ribs terminating at a the inner surfaces of the sills and being welded thereto, said wall being arranged forwardly of said ribs and forming an abutment for the butt of the yoke, and rigid elements connecting said wall and ribs, the front wall having side edges terminating at the inner surfaces of the sills and being welded thereto.

5. In a draft attachment for railway cars, draft sills, a horizontal yoke arranged between the sills and having a butt, and a backstop having a, vertical front wall and transverse vertical spaced ribs, the side edges of said ribs terminating at the inner surfaces of the sills and being welded thereto, said wall being arranged forwardly of said ribs and forming an abutment for the butt of the yoke, and rigid elements connecting said wall and ribs, the backstop being provided with a substantially horizontal plat which forms one of said elements and extends rearwardly from the medial portion of the front wall.

6. In a draft attachment for railway cars, draft sills, a horizontal yoke arranged between the sills and having a butt, and a backstop having a vertical front wall and transverse vertical spaced ribs, the side edges of said ribs terminating at the inner surfaces of the sills and being welded ribs, the sid edges of said ribs terminating at the inner. surfaces of the sills and. being welded thereto, said wall being arranged forwardly of said ribs and forming an abutment for the butt of the yoke, and rigid elements connecting said wall and ribs, the backstop having top horizontal ribs forming certain of said elements, the edges of said horizontal ribs being welded to the inner surfaces of the sills, the backstop being also providcd with a horizontal plate which forms another one of said elements and extends rearwardly from the medial portion of the front wall and is provided with a relatively large hole to facilitate the welding of the side edges of the top ribs to the top of the draft sills.

8. In a draft attachment for railway cars, draft sills, a horizontal yoke arranged between the sills and having a butt, a backstop having a front wall and transverse vertical ribs, the edges of the ribs being welded to the inner surfaces of the side sills, said wall forming an abutment for the butt of the yoke, and rigid elements connecting said wall and ribs, the back-stop having a substantially horizontal plate forming one of said elements and extending rearwardly from the medial portion of the front wall, and longitudinal vertical ribs forming other of said elements and connecting the front wall to said plate.

9. In a draft attachment for railway cars, draft sills, a horizontal yoke arranged between the sills and having a butt, and a backstop having a front wall and transverse vertical ribs, the edges of the ribs being joined by welding to the inner surfaces of said sills, said wall forming an abutment for the butt of the yoke, and rigid elements connecting said wall and ribs, the backstop being provided with a substantially horizontal plate forming one of said elements and connected at one end to. the medial portion of the front wall, and longitudinal vertical ribs forming other of said elements and joining the front wall to said plate,

, the edges of the last-mentioned ribs diverging toward the front wall.

10. In a draft attachment for railway cars, draft sills having vertical webs, a horizontal yoke arranged between said webs and having a butt, and a backstop having a vertical front wall, a horizontal plate, and transverse spaced vertical and also longitudinally extending ribs, said wall forming an abutment for the butt of the yoke and being reinforced by said horizontal plate, other ribs extending longitudinally of the backstop and joining the wall to the plate, said transverse vertical ribs having their outer edges welded to th inner surfaces of the webs of the sills.

11. In a draft attachment for railway cars, draft sills having vertical webs, a horizontal yoke arranged between said webs and having a butt, and: a backstop having a vertical front wall, a horizontal plate, and transverse spaced vertical and also longitudinally extending ribs, said wall forming an abutment for the butt of the yoke and being reinforced by said horizontal plate, ribs extending longitudinally of the backstop and joining the wall to the plate, said transverse vertical ribs having their outer edges welded to the inner surfaces of the webs of the sills, the outer edges of the longitudinally extending ribs terminating at the inner surfaces of the sills and being welded thereto.

12. In a draft structure for railway cars or the like, center sills having spaced sid walls, and a skeletal cast metal combined bolster center filler and back-stop unit arranged in the sills between said walls and comprising a center post and cured out side walls, the latter forming edge portions terminating at the inner surfaces of the walls of the sills and united with th latter by welded joints, said unit having front and rear ends and the front end of said unit being provided with a transverse vertical abutment wall extending across the unit from one of the cored out walls to the other, and reinforcing ribs for said abutment wall extending from the medial portion of the latter to said center post.

13. In a draft structure for railway cars or th like, center sills having spaced side walls, a horizontal yoke arranged between the walls of the sills and having a butt, and a skeletal cast metal combined bolster center filler and back-stop unit aranged in the sills between said walls and comprising a medial box-like portion with a center post and cored out walls, said cored out walls forming edge portions terminating at the inner surfaces of the walls of the sills and united with the latter by welded joints, said unit including vertically arranged front and rear end portions having cored out walls welded to the walls of the sills, the front one of said end portions having a transverse abutment wall extending across one end portion of the skeletal unit from one side wall of the draft sills to the opposite side wall of the sills and secured to the walls of the sills by welded joints, and reinforcing ribs for said abutment wall extending from the medial portion of the latter to said center post.

GEORGE T. JOHNSON. HARRY H. WOLFE. 

